The present invention relates generally to small internal combustion engines of the type which might for example be employed in snowthrowers, lawnmowers and the like techniques.
Engines of this general type are frequently vertical crankshaft four-stroke cycle engines provided with a powered take-off shaft for example to drive the wheels of a self-propelled lawnmower having but a single cylinder, a solid state ignition arrangement and a pull rope recoil starter. Such engines have been well known for a number of years and have met with considerable commercial success and while the present invention will be described in the context of such an engine, the invention is clearly applicable to other engine designs.